


this love is glowing in the dark

by thotsandfeelings



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25957084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thotsandfeelings/pseuds/thotsandfeelings
Summary: A post-ep for 1x18: Six Meetings Before Lunch
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	this love is glowing in the dark

"Am I interrupting something important?"

"I can't _begin_ to tell you how you're not."

"Would you mind if I -"

"I'll go see if people are having fun in the _other_ room."

* * *

After Mendoza had been confirmed, CJ finished her encore performance of The Jackal, and the last bottle of champagne drunk, he finds her waiting for him in his office. Her previously discarded shoes were littered by his door and her back was to him, hair swaying a little as she moves to whatever song she has playing quietly on his radio.

Josh closes his door to inform her of his presence and he grins when she doesn’t turn around, still humming along to the song a little louder. He sidles up behind her with his hands on her waist and kisses her shoulder.

“You ready to go?” He asks and brushes her hair aside so he can get access her neck, dropping kisses on a path to her ear.

Donna only answers with another hum, comfortably warm from the champagne and his embrace, and brings her hand up and back to land on his cheek and keep him close. 

“You did good today,” she says after a moment and finally turns to face him.

“Hey, I thought all the alcohol was gone,” he whines when he sees a full flute of champagne in her hand. 

“I may have swiped a bottle earlier today before the vote was held,” she says, a sly grin crossing her features. Josh grabs the flute from her and takes a sip before setting it on his desk. “I thought you might like a more...,” she walks her fingers up his chest and looks up at him through smoldering eyes, “ _private_ celebration.”

A smile that can only be described as a leer crosses his face. “Sam and Toby did most of the work,” Josh says, trying and failing comically to look nonchalant when the look on his face is anything but humble.

Donna shrugs and takes her hands that had been playing with his neck tie away and steps out of his embrace completely.

“If you’d rather celebrate with them, don’t let me stop you.”

“No, no,” Josh says quickly, reaching out and pulling her back to him. He locks his fingers behind her back so she can’t get away. “No more Sam and Toby. Or anyone else for that matter. I was thinking we could take that bottle you stole and...” he bumps his pelvis against hers suggestively. “You know.”

Donna smiles, she loves when he plays along. She reaches back up and grabs his tie again, pulling his face close enough to hers so he can feel her warm breath against his lips. “Lead the way.”

He leans in, intoxicated by her, but she's too quick, stepping out of his relaxed hold and walks over to his fridge where she’d stored the pilfered champagne. Josh smirks, biting his lip a little as he grabs his backpack while Donna slips back into her shoes and turns out his desk lamp. 

“After you,” he says, following her out of his office with a hand on her back. He still can’t believe he gets to do this with her now. It’s still relatively new and hard to navigate since they’re not telling anyone yet, but it’s also wonderful and exciting and something just for them.

“I heard your little quip earlier, you know,” Josh says, nudging her shoulder with his own as they make their way out of the White House gates.

“Good. You were supposed to.”

“Hey! I’m fun.” He gives her a wounded look and Donna snorts at him. “I am! We were having fun. I was _openly_ flirting with you about Salvador Dali of all things. I wasn't charming enough for you?”

“The flirting was very fun,” Donna says, mocking him with a fake-serious nod. “You were the one who told Leo it wasn’t fun or important.”

Josh becomes suddenly real-serious. “Did you want me to?” 

Donna stops walking and looks at him, his eyes wide with his question. 

“I’ll tell him if you want me to,” Josh continues, growing a little frantic. “I know it’s kind of soon and we said we weren’t gonna tell anyone yet, but if you want me to, I will. I don’t want you to feel like I’m trapping you or something, just say the word and I’ll-.”

Donna places a hand on his arm. “Josh, I was kidding.” 

She looks into his wild expression and her heart tugs inside her chest. If she wasn’t sure before, she really is now. How could she not love him? 

“And you’re not trapping me. We both agreed not to tell anyone yet, remember?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Besides,” she says, cutting him off to get his attention. “I like that it’s just ours right now, anyway.”

A light breeze picks up and whips her hair across her face. Josh reaches up unconsciously, tucking the golden strand behind her ear and lets his hand fall back down to his side. Donna smiles reassuringly at him, squeezing his bicep once, and resumes the walk to her car.

“You're sure?” he asks, still slightly weary, skipping a little to get back into step with her.

“I'm sure.”

"Good, ‘cause I really like that it’s just ours, too.” 

She turns to smile at him as she reaches into her pocket to get her keys. She gets her driver’s side door unlocked and he opens it for her. Before she climbs in, she faces him and says “Oh, I called Patty’s before you got me from your office. One large Supreme - no onion. I’m gonna stop by on my way to your place to pick it up.”

“With the cheesy crust?”

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“You’re a goddess among women, Donnatella.”

She smirks. “If you think that’s deity worthy, just wait until you see what I have planned for our fun room later.”

Josh groans as Donna smiles at him sweetly and lowers herself into the driver’s seat. She closes the door and rolls down the window, her eyes shining diabolically into his when she adds softly, “toys included.”

Josh’s eyes slam shut and she giggles wickedly, putting her seatbelt on.

“Okay,” he says, eyes still shut. “I amend my earlier statement - you’re an _evil_ goddess among women.”

“You love it,” she says offhandedly, her own eyes widening as his re-open and lock on hers at the elusive L word. 

“Yes, I do,” he all but whispers after a moment and Donna’s heart soars. She wants to kiss him, so she does, public parking lot be damned. She grabs his tie once again and hauls him to her. He has the cognizance to keep it short, but deep and full of promises he plans to deliver on later.

“Go now,” he says, finally dragging himself away from her before they got caught. “I’ll meet you at home.” He takes a few steps back and she goes to put her car in drive.

“Josh,” Donna calls and he turns back around to face her, eyebrows raised in acknowledgment. “I have whipped cream for dessert, too.”

Josh’s jaw drops to the pavement and Donna laughs, pressing the gas and driving toward the highway.

“A cruel and evil goddess!” Josh shouts after her. Donna just waves her hand at him from out the window.

"Shoulda slipped her some bromide,” he mutters to himself, scurrying to his car and booking it home.

**Author's Note:**

> I was re-watching the other day and saw the first five minutes of this episode and said to myself 'wow, they're boyfriend and girlfriend huh?' and here we are.
> 
> Title is from 'This Love' by Taylor Swift (pls don't sue me).


End file.
